Small Business HR and the Internet

The Internet will play a huge role in the future of HR in small business.  At the same time, I see small business playing a huge role in the future of the US economy and probably in the world economies. 

The fact is, the Internet plays a huge marketing role in our economic lives.  Another fact is, enterprising companies tend to---and have now for years---retract rather than grow.  These companies may grow through acquisition, but generally speaking, they are not growing through their organic-growth models. With that tendency, we are seeing small business harnessing this power and reaching audiences over the Internet. The need is definitely there. 

Enterprising businesses are also impacted by increasing regulations.  You’ve got people walking out of their jobs in enterprise businesses who don’t really understand HR.  They may have experience hiring and firing, but they don’t understand the backbone of HR or the importance of it in terms of the people equation. 

I see a huge need to have those services delivered to them in a way that they want them delivered.  I don’t see providers knocking on the front door of some small business.  I see their HR needs being met by a trusted Internet source---for instance, a Web portal---that they’ve come to know over time.  I think the Internet role in the HR future of small business is huge.